1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to packages comprising a strip and side flaps.
2. Description of the prior art
There are already known packages made from a strip, generally of corrugated cardboard, and comprising side flaps designed to be bent up and then folded over the objects to be packaged placed on the strip itself.
It is known that a package of this type is particularly advantageous when its shorter sides are inset relative to the general contour of the package, since the packaged objects are in this way better protected against side pressure and impact.
To obtain a package of this kind, one begins with a strip, generally of cardboard, which is cut out in such a way that the flaps are disposed laterally relative to the strip and are folded towards the so-called "inside" surface of the latter, along lines which are aligned with the longitudinal edges of the strip.
A disadvantage of this fabrication process is that it creates waste which cannot be used and is therefore discarded.
To avoid this disadvantage it has already been proposed to utilize a rectangular strip the cutting out of which does not produce any waste, and to fasten on flaps produced by cutting out rectangles from another strip, also without creating any waste.
A package of this type therefore has significant advantages with regard to the consumption of raw material, but it has the disadvantage of requiring the two flaps to be fastened to the strip, entailing the use of non-standard machinery for which the manufacturing, amortization and operating costs reduce the advantage of the low cost of the raw material.
Also, packages of the type indicated hereinabove are generally not provided with integral closure means, and so cannot be used with modern automatic packaging machinery.
The present invention provides for forming the flaps in line with the strip itself, so that there is no significant wastage and the finished package is achieved without fastening on additional parts and as a general rule entails the use of only standard machinery. The invention also provides for utilizing the so-called "inside" surface of the strip to fasten the strip and the flaps and to close the package by joining the inside surface and the outside surface of the strip after enveloping the objects to be packaged.